[HIMC] The Police Brutality Prevention Project Newsletter--April-May 2005

Mon May 23 13:53:02 PDT 2005

The Police Brutality Prevention Project Newsletter

************************************************************************

an e-publication of The Police Brutality Prevention Project of Southern California

************************************************************************

April-May, 2005

************************************************************************

The Police Brutality Prevention Project of Southern California was founded to promote good police work, increase the public confidence in law enforcement entities, agencies, and officials, and end the epidemic of police brutality and harassment faced by citizens of the United States and people around the world.
Barbara Sue Mink Spalding, director and editor  
We demand best of the best....for all those who help those in need, who are fair to all, defend fairness and democracy, and all those of good intent, effort, and work and worst of  worst for those who don't...BSMS

**********************************************************************

Dedicated to Mohandas K. Gandhi  October 1869~January 1948   "Our beloved Bapu"

***************************************************************

Note: Should you get multiple copies of this e-newsletter, please forward one to a friend, colleague, or family member.  We think you will find the information contained here to be timely and informative. 

************************************************************************

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy." 
-Abraham Lincoln

"The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it." —Henry David Thoreau, 1848

**********************************************************************
>From the international media...

Alleged Beating Victim's Lawyer Speaks To NBC 10
Man Considering Options

POSTED: 8:42 a.m. EDT May 4, 2005
UPDATED: 3:30 p.m. EDT May 4, 2005

Story by nbc10.com 
-- NBC 10 has learned more about the man allegedly beaten by Philadelphia police on a video filmed by Chopper 10 -- and about the officer at the center of the case. 
Neither man has been identified by NBC 10, pending a city investigation into the incident that was caught exclusively by Chopper 10 during a police pursuit. 
"The officer has an obligation to uphold the United States constitution and that officer failed to do that," said James Duckworth, the lawyer for the alleged victim. 
New Video: Lawyer Shocked By Alleged Beating 
World Exclusive: Images From Police-Beating 
World Exclusive: Video Of Alleged Police Beating 

Report on police brutality

SYDNEY — A new report by Melbourne academics has documented the brutality of police forces around Australia and successful legal actions in response. 
The 148-page report, Civil Litigation by Citizens Against Australian Police between 1994 and 2002, is by Melbourne academics Dr Jude McCulloch and Darren Palmer. It states that there is increasing resort to civil litigation against police, combined with larger compensation payments to victims. 
The Victoria Police report one new civil action a fortnight, while NSW has about 600 files on the go. Many large pay-outs are made without publicity because of confidentiality clauses in the settlements. 
One lawyer, expressing her frustration with the police complaints ombudsman, is quoted as saying that in the context of political protests, “as far as the ombudsman is concerned, if you were Gandhi you can be mowed down in the middle of the street, just for sitting down, just for blocking some pathway”. 
A copy of the report can be found at <http://www.aic.gov.au/crc/reports/200102-19.html> 
Dale Mills 

>From Green Left Weekly, May 4, 2005. 
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page. 
Send a letter to the editor Join the Green Left discussion list 

 > News
The Belfast (Ireland) Telegraph

Brutality claims rock PSNI
By Geraldine Mulholland 03 May 2005 
"Police brutality claims - seemingly backed by video footage - have prompted calls for the suspension of officers in Londonderry.

The allegations were made following an incident in Violet Street in the Waterside early on Saturday morning.

The 3am disturbance - which led to a number of arrests - attracted the attention of several residents of the street, one of whom recorded some of the altercation between the PSNI and the young people, who are all understood to be Protestant.

The Socialist Environmental Alliance (SEA) has had lengthy discussions with the families of a number of those involved and they have viewed a video tape of parts of the incident. 

SEA candidate, Eamon McCann, said: "It is clear from the recording that members of the PSNI behaved in an improper and totally unacceptable way. 

"The footage shows aggressive and belligerent behaviour by a number of PSNI officers, and assaults on civilians. 

"We are aware that some of those caught up in the incident are in the process of consulting solicitors. In the meantime, pending a full investigation, we call for the suspension of the PSNI officers shown on the tape behaving improperly.

"Copies of the recording have been made available to media outlets, and to solicitors. We understand that the solicitors concerned are considering forwarding a copy of the recording to the office of the Police Ombudsman. 

"We are calling for the PSNI officers involved to be suspended immediately and all charges against the young people dropped."

A police spokesperson said: "Anyone who has a complaint to make about the actions of any police officer should contact the office of the Police Ombudsman."

METROPOLITAN DESK 
Metro Briefing | New York: Syracuse: 
Police Brutality Suit Continues 
Published: April 1, 2005, Friday 
A group can proceed with a brutality and free-speech lawsuit against New York state troopers stemming from a May 1997 protest that blocked Interstate Highway 81 running through the Onondaga Indian Nation. Judge Frederick Scullin of United States District Court determined that there were enough questions of fact for a jury to decide the claims of 65 protesters who said troopers used excessive force and violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. About two dozen demonstrators were arrested while protesting a sales-tax agreement between Onondaga Nation chiefs and the Pataki administration. About 100 troopers in riot gear quelled the protest when it spilled onto the highway. Charges were dismissed against all but one protester, who was acquitted by a jury. Published: 04 - 01 - 2005 , Late Edition - Final , Section B , Column 3 , Page 5 

NATIONAL DESK | April 1, 2005, Friday 
Los Angeles Paying Victims $70 Million for Police Graft  
By JOHN M. BRODER (NYT) 881 words 
Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 20 , Column 1 

ABSTRACT - City of Los Angeles settles nearly all of more than 200 lawsuits filed in aftermath of worst corruption scandal in Police Dept's recent history, at cost of almost $70 million; handful of cases remain from so-called Rampart scandal, which erupted in 1999 when officer assigned to antigang unit in city's Rampart Division blew whistle on fellow officers who were accused of framing some victims, robbing suspects and engaging in pervasive pattern of brutality and other misconduct; Police Chief William J Bratton says case has resulted in reforms; pohto (M) 

**********************************************************************
Featured websites...
Police Brutality
http://www.ccpa-idaho.com/
"The Concerned Citizens for Police Accountability was formed September 4, 1997 in the wake of two controversial police shootings which killed Ryan Hennessey age 20 and Justin Atkinson, age 21.  John and Patricia Billington, stepfather and mother of Ryan Hennessey formed the organization shortly after they attended a N-COPA, National Coalition for Police Accountability conference at Temple University in Philadelphia.  On a local level in Boise, Idaho law enforcement claimed no wrong doing when an off duty detective fatally shot their unarmed intoxicated son on November 6th, 1996.  The Billingtons attended the conference looking for answers for their concerns on police accountability and whether such a thing exists.  What they discovered was that there are many organizations across the nation already working in the field of police accountability through citizen review of law administration and the promotion of progressive law enforcement."

POLICE BRUTALITY -- INFORMATION AND LINKS
http://www.daywilliams.com/police_brutality.html

Shielded from Justice
Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States 
http://hrw.org/reports98/police/

USA: Race, rights and police brutality  
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA RACE, RIGHTS AND POLICE BRUTALITY 1. A GROWING NATIONAL CONCERN &quot;The issue is national in scope and reaches people all across this country. ... Police brutality and use of excessive force has been one of the central themes of Amnesty International's campaign ... and physical abuse. Police brutality has become the focus of acute ..."

http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/usa/document.do?id=133746465C2D34CA8025690000692D98

Crackdown: When Police Wage War Against Activists
http://members.fortunecity.com/brutalitycanada/protests_globe.html
Send your comments and stories of police brutality to: ruitsdawtah at Hotmail.com

Police Brutality
http://www.freeessays.cc/db/28/lfm278.shtml

**********************************************************************
Research...
Currently, The Police Brutality Prevention Project of Southern California is investigating two cases of police abuse.  Should you want the Project to independently investigate your problem with the police, please e-mail the Project at barbarasueminkus at yahoo.com. 

Gay Bashing...If you have any information, stories, or experinces of you, an acquaintance, or a loved one being abused by the police for being gay, or the police response to an incidence of gay bashing, please e-mail us at edwardfitzhughminkpressalert at yahoo.com, or leahbradley2000 at yahoo.com.  We wish to publish your stories in the Newsletter, and include them on the Website. Thank you.  
**********************************************************************

Tsunami Relief... 

Please give generously  to send relief to those hit hard by the tsunami of December 26, 2004.  Click on any of the icons  or URLs below for more information. 

**********************************************************************

Remember...
The Police Brutality Prevention Project of Southern California  is currently developing The Police Brutality Prevention Project Website  at

  http://www.geocities.com/leahbradley2000/ Projecthomepage.html

There you will find featured information about police abuse or brutality, model program, articles from the worldwide press, websites, and legislative information.  Please feel free to contribute to this source of information about police brutality and abuse.   Contributions are warmly welcomed and encouraged.

Police and others suffer considerably from bullying, prejudice, and harassment. There are ways to fight back, and back down those who torment.  One excellent source of information is Tim Field's website, Bully Online,  at www.bullyonline.org. It is consistently featured in The Police Brutality Prevention Project Newsletter as a great source of support and guidance in maintaining and increasing the dignity of all.

**********************************************************************

Publicly available spam filters (Road Runner, Spam Assassin, Spam Cop etc) may identified this enewsletter as spam and have now blocked all communication via your server.  Contact me at 714-642-5448, or leahbradley2000 at yahoo.com , and I'll see to re-entering your e-mail address and re-establishing contact. 

Have information or a website to share?
Just email leahbradley2000 at yahoo.com  with the details and URL.

Spreading the word
Bullying affects at least 50% of the population. If you or someone you know has a website please link to Bully OnLine at www.bullyonline.org.  Tim Field is an internationally renown expert on bullying, and has information to help all fight back the bullying demons at work and elsewhere.

Family, friends, colleagues,  and clients will benefit from these free e-newsletters - ask them to send their e-mail address to leahbradley at yahoo.com and I'll send them their own copy each month.

Disclaimer:  This e-newsletter does not intend to promote any lawyer or legal practice, nor give legal advice. It is intended only to inform, give support, and raise consciousness on issues concerning police brutality and harassment issues. 

If you do not wish to receive this enewsletter, e-mail leahbradley2000 at yahoo.com, and write "Please remove my name from the list" in the subject line. 

The Police Brutality Prevention Project Newsletter~Copyright by Barbara Sue Mink Spalding,  April-May, 2005.~Content may be reproduced freely for non-commercial purposes.

All information is given in good faith but Barbara Sue Mink Spalding is not responsible for the content of external links.  Ms. Spalding is responsible for all original content.

Copyright by Barbara Sue Mink Spalding, April-May, 2005

Barbara Sue Mink Spalding
16478 Beach Boulevard, #440 
Westminster, California 92683
714-642-5448 
barbarasueminkus at yahoo.com 
edwardfitzhughminkpressalert at yahoo.com 
leahbradley2000 at yahoo.com 
rebeccaparzada at yahoo.com 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-houston/attachments/20050523/25246ce6/attachment-0001.html